The truth about meeting locals abroad

The truth about meeting locals abroad -

Matts Score : This post was updated in 2016 to recent changes in the travel to reflect industry, new experience, advice and insight!

My last three week visit to Sweden was my third time there, and I finally feel like I'm starting to get a sense of the country clear of culture. I had planned to travel around the country, but I have stuck in Stockholm - not that that's bad. I love the city, and to be offered me in one place the possibility to spend a long time with my friends and to know the city more.

I also saw a huge bonfire ceremony for Valborg, the Swedish festival of spring. I got a lesson in red and green business days and was trained in Swedish fashion (Converse, red pants and New York Yankees hats are very popular). ". Tipspromenad" I spent Swedish Easter to my friend's grandmother's house, where I went on an Egg hunt (the grandmother insisted) and played a game called It's a quiz competition combined with a scavenger hunt - incredibly fun (although I did not know the answers!). I have also learned about local food. Best of all, my friends taught me Swedish.

is a total of 3 weeks, me a lot of insight into the Swedish culture. Why? Because I know locals who have welcomed me into her private life with open arms

Reflecting on my experience, I can not help but think, to learn about the old things to do on a place -. Get off the beaten path, to experience the local life, do as the locals do -. and how unrealistic and difficult that advice in practice

full time traveled for nearly five years, I have made friends from all over the world. I can go to many different countries and stay with friends (locals) who are happy to show me friends, me for Easter at the grandmother's house, an impromptu Stadtgrill event to take a birthday party, or Christmas with their in-laws' , It's easy for me to get a taste of local life, because I prepared a lot of people have to show it to me. It's the same for everyone who has traveled -. You will meet from around the world people, you can visit

But if you know in a new destination and do not, someone, it is not so easy!

travel writing often with stories of chance encounters in subways and in cafes, encounters that jet at the end with the writer to an event or celebration is filled, which opens a window into local life , rarely get to see the other people. While these great stories, create a romantic image that people think that all travel is like the making. I often hear people talk about how they get the local experience or wax poetic go about meeting locals in the nearest town, city or country. If your travel, lack the experience, they run the risk of thinking they missed.

It is true that the locals want to show the best it has to offer their land, so they give advice, converse, and share a few pints at the bar. But that's different from their personal space is brought. Binding over beer with a couple of guys you meet in the pub is different than asking if you want to take the family for dinner on Sunday. One is private in a public space, the other.

In order to be invited to a private room of local, you are likely to meet the person a couple of times before an invitation is extended. People like the person to know that they first beckon. Yes, can happen for the first time to invite, but it is the exception, not the rule.

here My point is that to meet the locals is not as easy as it is often made to be, but it is still not impossible. Thanks to the Internet, there are a few ways to overcome the difficulties in meeting a nice local that invite dinner to Sunday - except your friends asked if they know someone there (which you should)

For the beginning. , CouchSurfing is a great place for this. While often to get a place as free accommodation, please visit the website much more. It has meet-ups, group events, and members that you could not give her couch, but you will like to meet for coffee and show you around. For example, I had a brief Couchsurfing meeting in Denmark, which has landed at a family dinner a week with me. In my opinion this is the best remedy if not to take in a position locals on the street. The people on this page are already prepared to invite you into their private space.

Meetup.com is to meet another great site for people. Although more "formal" than CouchSurfing There are a number of groups on this page, where you can meet with the same interests as you, but in a foreign country! Love wine? Why not for a meet-up 'wine lovers in France? Want craft in Australia do? Go to a knitting meeting. Interested in meeting businessmen in Hong Kong? Find a business-related event and go! Would you like to play volleyball in London? Probably there is a group for that too!

In this way, you will find people who are interested in the same subject as you are, the lower the awkward barrier helps. Besides, how cool it hits anyone from around the world with the same interest? I love Prohibition bars, and when I met someone from Sydney, which did well, I would spend hours on the scene in Sydney online!

Another variant of this, the things related to local events you find love. I swing dance. My teacher in New York said: ". Ohhh, if you go X, I can introduce you to some people who live in this city" While I have not already done so, one day I excitedly. You can also only records relating local events to find your interests as "Trivia Night in London", "baseball games in Busan", "Gourmet in Buenos Aires" or Googled "yoga classes in Hoi An."

In addition, try to attend language. There are many message boards, forums and websites where locals different languages ​​(usually English) want to learn. Go to these events, or find a language exchange partner. This could be someone who also take on local events, dinner, or with their friends to drink from. So if you go there as an English traveler, you are bound to make some local friends! It's your "in" an integrated network of people. Some good sites are:

• Meetup (Babel groups are very popular)
• Meetup: Language Exchange
• Craigslist
• Couchsurfing

Every once in a while, take your chances to meet people on the street. Who knows what will come out of a jovial conversation at the end? Take, for example, a small group tour by a local. While growing on the tour, ask all the questions you want about the local life and how it is in this region (without being intrusive). By the leaders know you friendly and very interested in culture, you can be invited to meet directly after the tour. I have heard from some guidebooks, who hung with tour participants that they got along with well.

Moreover, hitchhiking is a great way to meet locals. When you get into a car with someone, there is already a level of trust (from both sides). If you drive long enough and get along, who knows, they might just invite you to dinner. When I was in Belize hitchhiking, the man took us to his restaurant and had drinks with us. The next day he showed us and even gave us a ride to our next destination!

Finally, the rise of the sharing economy in recent years has to know to get made super easy locals. This has been a boon for budget travelers - not only do you save money, but you get to hang out and meet locals in a variety of settings! There are tour sites like Vayable, food-sharing sites like EatWithaLocal and Ride-sharing sites like Blablacar. All will give you a way to connect with the locals, the in-depth can branch, longer lasting encounters. These are now my go-to sites when I travel.

When I left the road to travel, I had visions interact from anywhere with locals, but that did not happen as much as I wanted. It is not impossible that to have the chance encounter on the street. But it is not so often. Fortunately, you can use the Internet to stimulate this process. It takes more work, but if you really love France and want to meet French people, do not wait until it happens.

make it possible.

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